Nore's Friends

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Today, Nore is beyond being Nore. What I mean to say is that Nore is also a Foundation. Last Sunday, Nore celebrated her birthday in a unique way. The party was held in AIM's cozy Carte Blanche restaurant and it highlighted the recent Printmaking Workshop Event in UP that Nore's foundation (Lenore RSLim Foundation) recently sponsored. Clearly the workshop is a boon to UP Fine Arts School and a milestone in the promotion of printmaking in the country. This is the same workshop that Nore helped to facilitate in Latin America last year. Two of the foreign artists/ experts that helped Nore in this workshop were leaving for home and this party was a despedida for them as well.

Hence, the party crowd consisted of Nore's different groups of friends that she has managed to merge together in a productive, fun and pleasant way over the years. If you must, the groups for this party at least were: The foreign artists and the other workshop facilitators and participants; UP Fine Arts officials; UP Fine Arts classmates; College of the Holy Spirit HS classmates; supportive Raquel Santos family members; NY friends; Didi the great husband; and lastly, the CAFASingers.

The party started out with a eucharistic mass presided over by a priest who is also one of Nore and Didi's friends in NY. After the mass, the buffet line was opened and where the guests enjoyed the usual great eats standard of the Skyline Restaurant group. After the meal, there was the awarding of certificates to the workshop participants and the facilitators. And then with all the formalities out of the way, the party started. The game guests took turns at singing - acapella if not Karaoke - and then dancing afterwards. The CAFASingers / Neos were shameless as they took to the stage without practice when requested. The audience actually got into the act and sang along with Cherish and Summer Song with the CAFAs and which in a way covered up the flaws in the delivery. Their applause afterwards was heartening to hear.

Dinky and Milou, Alex, Delfa, Irene, Oni and Bili represented the Neos. At the blowing of the candles, Didi, Milou, Alex and Oni were called by Nore to join her on the table and where she introduced them as co-celebrators of her birthday bash (the four are also January and early Feb birthday kids). Globe hopping Tong Salgado - groggy being just off the plane from NY - was the surprise guest who represented the CAFASingers. Tong's soaring tenor voice and ever handsome look was a welcome force to the impromptu Neo performance that night. (Tong you owe me for this last statement). The party ended up past twelve, but I wouldn't know that since Bili and I had to leave a bit earlier to prepare for office the next day.